Toronto’s Gilberto to join Vasco da Gama on loan until end of season – report

Toronto FC striker Gilberto has not returned to preseason training with the Reds as of yet and his absence could be extended to at least the end of the season as Brazilian club Vasco da Gama are close to securing a season-long loan deal, according to GloboEsporte.com.

Gilberto was one of the three Designated Players signed by Toronto last year as he joined the Canadian club along with Michael Bradley and Jermain Defoe.

But just one year later things look a lot different as Defoe has moved back to England and the Reds have splashed the cash again to bring in Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco, leaving them with four DPs.

Major League Soccer’s roster regulations state that a club can only have three registered DPs and so Toronto will have known that one of their four stars was going to have to leave before the start of 2015 season next month.

Of those four players Gilberto was always going to be the one to have to move and he is now set to join Vasco da Gama, the club he has been training with for the past month, on loan for the rest of the season with a the option to buy.

The report claims the deal is set to be agreed by Tuesday and Gilberto may never return to Toronto if he can impress back in his homeland, though the Reds are unlikely to be planning on a return for the 25-year-old anyway.

The Brazilian forward will take a pay cut to join Vasco da Gama but the Rio de Janeiro based club will pay all of his wages so Toronto will have no financial attachment to the loan move.

Gilberto scored seven goals with five assists in his first season in MLS.